Fear Not, My Writer
by Lina Skye
Summary: Mixing fantasy with reality is what authors do best.....especially when faced with grief and pain. Let's put it this way. Comfort comes from the strangest recesses of an author's mind.
1. Christmas 2002

A/N...this is a little fic that I decided to write on Christmas night when something horrible happened on what was supposed to be a joyous day. My grandmother was taken to the hospital b/c of congestive heart failure...and currently, as I am writing this, I am terrified.   
Later, when I will be posting this (which is the present for those of you who take the time to read), I will hopefully be looking towards a happy future if not...then if you pray, then please pray for me.   
  
  
  
  
Fear not, My Writer  
  
  
Lina Skye walked slowly into the house, slamming the door behind her. Eyes bloodshot with tears, hair disheveled, makeup smeared, the young woman looked nothing short of a wreck.   
  
She dropped her car keys down onto the counter, not paying any attention to them as the keys fell from the counter onto the kitchen floor.   
  
The teenager bypassed the food that was out on the table, leftovers. She even bypassed the tv and dvd player.   
  
Of course that was to be expected. She usually would come home to her trusty keyboard to write.............  
  
Aragorn, who had been playing the Playstation 2 in her room against Legolas, winced as the Elf bested him yet again.   
  
The Dunadan dropped the controller as he heard the authoress enter.   
  
No....not again!   
  
He and Legolas steeled themselves for the usual round of torture and angst in her writing as she entered her room and walked over to plop down wearily onto the computer chair.   
  
"Hold on, before you start—"Legolas began to protest, but was cut off by a nudge from Aragorn.   
Aragorn pointed over to the authoress, who was usually vibrant with readiness to paint her pictures with words.   
  
Usually, Lina would be typing busily away, preparing for another angst filled chapter of the stories she wrote, apologizing profusely to 'her Estel' and to 'her Estel's elf friend'.   
  
But that was not so on Christmas night.   
  
As the teenager stumbled into her room, a cloud of darkness hung over her features. Something was clearly wrong.   
  
Aragorn and Legolas stood there, unmoving as Lina began to undress and put on her pajamas.   
  
Usually, she would have yelled at Legolas to leave the room and beg Aragorn to stay.....  
  
But the two friends received no such reaction.   
  
They merely stood there, and she acted as though they did not exist as she was caught up in her own memories.   
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The family sat down to eat dinner, but two members was missing.   
  
"Where's grandma?"  
  
"She isn't feeling too well,"Lina's mother answered.   
  
"And what about Auntie?"  
  
"She is—"  
  
'Auntie' suddenly entered, a mask of worry upon her face. "Kay, we need to go....Mom isn't something is really wrong...."  
  
*~*~*~*~*((I have changed the names...my aunt's name is definitely not auntie, and my mom's name is not kay))  
  
"Um....torturous author who torments my every waking moment...?"Aragorn called, waving a hand in an attempt to get some kind of attention from the authoress who was usually latched onto his leg.   
  
When he received only silence, Aragorn looked over at Legolas, concerned.   
  
"Uh, Lina? Are you well?"Legolas inquired softly, walking over to kneel in front of the young woman.   
  
Silence.   
  
Lina merely turned her head the other way, pulling her knees up to her chest, heels resting on the edge of the chair. She then plopped her head down to rest on her knees, her disheveled hair masking her face.   
  
Aragorn stepped forward and knelt in front of Lina. His silver-blue eyes were concerned, showing more emotion towards the authoress than he had ever before.   
  
"Lina, please answer me. It is your Estel.....what is wrong?"  
  
Lina shook her head slightly, struggling to maintain her composure.   
  
Aragorn looked over at Legolas, shocked.   
  
Okay, now it was serious.   
  
Lina *never* turned down 'her Estel'.   
  
Something was *definitely* wrong.   
  
"Lina, please, listen to me. I know something is wrong. I want to help,"Aragorn pleaded.   
  
Inwardly, Aragorn questioned himself for trying to help a writer who was constantly beating him up in her stories....  
  
But, deep down inside of him, a voice answered: 'It is because she is not so bad.....you two are almost inseparable, though one dwells in fiction and the other in the real world.'   
  
Legolas reached over to put a hand on Lina's shoulder. Beneath his touch, the teenager trembled.   
  
"Lina, you will never hear us begging again, don't you want to answer?"Legolas questioned, trying to get the usually bouncy young woman to smile.   
  
Lina looked up to reveal red, puffy, tear filled eyes.   
  
"Oh, Lina....."Aragorn trailed off, speechless.   
  
After a few moments, Lina took a deep, shuddering breath. "I—we were eating dinner and grandma...she got really sick...a—and..........she is on the way to the hospital.........Mom and Dad and Auntie and Uncle are gone, too........I—I'm scared."  
  
With that said, Lina's composure broke down. A soft sob escaped her throat, her face crumpling with grief.   
  
Without thinking, Aragorn reached forward and pulled her against his chest, into his arms. "Sh, Lina....it is all right...Everything is going to be all right."  
  
Legolas put a comforting hand on her back, rubbing in soothing circles. "Ilya ta naeithel, (Everything is going to be okay)"Legolas murmured softly in Elvish.   
  
Aragorn gently kissed the crown of Lina's forehead. "Fear not, my authoress......you are not alone."  
  
And there the three sat.   
  
Lina sat there, shaking uncontrollably as she let out the grief and pain that had been building up. Aragorn held her in his arms, ignoring the odd looks he would get from reviewers if they ever found out.   
Legolas merely was there, his serene presence a true comfort, being a rock solid foundation.   
  
Finally, Lina's sobs began to still to where tears merely ran silently down her face.   
  
Aragorn pulled back to where he could look into the authoress's puffy blue eyes. "Feel better?"  
  
Lina shrugged slightly, making a vague attempt at humor. "I guess....I just can't believe the one time you hold me, it has to be when something horrible happens." A tearful smile came to the writer's face.   
  
Legolas smiled faintly. "Indeed......but just remember, no matter what, you are not alone."  
  
Aragorn nodded. "Though your writing hurts, we won't abandon you. Remember? We always come back."  
  
Lina let out a hollow laugh. "Thanks.....at least you guys aren't going anywhere."  
  
Aragorn reached over to gently brush away one of the tears that leaked from Lina's eyes. "And neither will your grandmother...she will be fine."  
  
"I hope so, Aragorn...I hope so."  
  
"You see? You have hope...you have Estel, nin mellon. Never give up. Tomorrow will be a brighter day,"Aragorn pointed out.   
  
Lina shook her head half heartedly. "I hope so, Estel.........I hope you're right."  
  
Maybe tomorrow would be a brighter day............  
  
Just maybe..........  
  
***********  
  
Wow, ESTEL huggles me and I can't even enjoy it....  
So, reviewers.....................I need help.   
  
Pray for me if you can, or if you will. I need it. Pray for my grandmother...she needs it. Pray for my family. We all need it.   
  
Or just remember us as we go through this time.   
  
thank you......... 


	2. December 23 2003

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is recognizable as Tolkien's.  I write for pleasure, not payment.  

A/N: The last chapter of this tale held a small hint of hope for the future in it.......but I'm not so certain of that in this.  This morning (right now as I am writing it is Dec 23) I received news that a friend of mine was in a car wreck coming home from a party.  She was drunk, upset, and she died on the road.  Yall.............right now, I'm more than terrified.  I just...........don't know what to say.  That wasn't supposed to happen to a 16 year old.......but please......i ask anyone who presses on in this that if you believe in God that you will pray to Him for me, the friends, and the family of the one who........is gone.  Just please......don't forget us in your prayers now....

**Fear Not, My Writer**

_RING!!_  

            A soft grunt answered the first beckoning of the telephone as the occupants of the room ignored the machine.  

_RING!!!_

A louder groan of annoyance answered the second shrill chime, this time coming from the slender figure who was sprawled out across a beanbag and a slew of pillows.  For the love of everything that was Holy, it was barely 8:30 AM!  

_RING!!!!_

"Lina, will you answer that cursed thing?"Aragorn shouted groggily from the pallet on the floor.  Legolas, who was the one occupying the beanbag, kicked the side of the mattress in complete agreement.  

            Rolling over, the authoress grabbed her cell phone off the bedside table.  A voice heavy with sleep grumbled a rather unkind sounding greeting, "hello?!"

As soon as Lina answered, a panicked voice echoed on the other side of the line.  The words were unintelligible to Aragorn and Legolas, yet the writer heard every word with horrifying detail.  

            Once bleary blue eyes went wide with shock. 

"No..........no.  Shut-up.  This is a sick joke,"Lina argued into the phone.  

            The Elf and man began to wake fully as they recognized the tone Lina's voice was carrying.  It was one of utter fear and disbelief............and that was never good.  

"So............she's.............?"the question went unfinished as a heavy silence settled over the telephone conversation.  "Oh, okay.  Um......thanks for calling, I guess.  I'll be in touch........take care......."  

            With that, Lina ended the conversation.  Slowly, the authoress sat up, as if in a trance.  

"Lina? Are you—"Aragorn broke off as Lina began to dial another number into her phone.  "Why are you calling people at this hour?"

"Hello?  Can I talk to Lizz? Please, this is important.  She won't mind being drug out of bed for this,"at that, Lina's voice began to shake.  "Alright.  I'll hold on."

            A few moments later, Lina began to speak again, "hey, sorry to wake you up, but have you heard?  Yea........she's gone.  I'll let you go.....but please, do me a favor, okay? Don't drive anywhere today........yea, I know it sounds weird....but it would make me feel better.  Good......thanks."  

That conversation ended as suddenly as it began. 

Then, silence reigned until it was broken by a rather confused sounding Elven prince. 

"Lina, is something wrong?"Legolas climbed atop the bed, ignoring the fact that his hair was wildly disheveled and that he was clad only in his sleep pants.  That did not matter to him at the moment.  

            Slowly, the young woman shook her head.  "No............its nothing that should concern you,"she whispered.  

            Aragorn pulled himself from the floor to climb under the covers beside the teenager. He nudged her with an elbow, trying to maintain a light facade.  "Come on, Lina.......tell us."

            Lina then mutely laid back in her bed to curl into a tight fetal position, moving as if every motion was agonizingly painful to execute.  "No."

"Don't lie to me, young one,"commanded the Prince of Mirkwood softly, moving to place an arm on each side of Lina, straddling her.  "I can see straight through you.  Eru, even a blind man could see that you are not content!  Something plagues you."

            After a long, heavy silence, Lina spoke in a choked voice, the blanket pulled over her head.  "She's gone........she was only 16! She was _my age_.  She was _my age_, Legolas.  It's not supposed to be like this.  She was a teenager, she had her life ahead of her......she was going to graduate.  She had just gotten her class ring.........she was going to celebrate Christmas with the people who care........_cared_ for her."

"What?!"

"She died.  She's gone.  We'll all go back to school after the break is over, but _she_ won't be there.  I'll never see her again because she's _dead_, Legolas.  She's gone forever,"Lina continued, a soft sob escaping her throat.  

            Aragorn's throat tightened at the words. The figure beside him trembled with fear, confusion, and grief that rocked her to the core.  Sitting up, he reached over to pull her tightly against his chest in an futile attempt to stop her terrified shaking.  As he did so, the blanket slipped away to reveal tear stained cheeks and bloodshot blue eyes that begged for answers to the madness of life.  

"_She wasn't _supposed_ to die_.....It wasn't _supposed_ to happen like this......"

            The young woman wept into the arms of the Ranger.  Legolas ran a comforting hand through her tangled locks, whispering a soft lament for the one who was lost to the teenager.  

After what seemed like an eternity, Lina looked up at the Elf.  "Legolas.......you've lived for a _long time_........do you know why this happened?  It's not fair.  It's not supposed to be this way........people are supposed to die of old age of disease......not because of some stupid accident,"cried Lina, a quiet, grief stricken rage burning in her eyes at the cruelties of what life had dealt her and her friends.  

            Legolas's gaze strayed from Lina, to Aragorn. Silver eyes met wise blue, but gave no answers to give the Elf.  

The Elven Prince blew a heavy sigh.  "I don't know, Lina........I just don't know."  

Seeing the continuous quivering of her hands, Legolas pressed on, "but I _do _know this much........things will get easier.  The days may seem dark now, and the next dawn may seem uncertain, yet the sun will shine all the clearer when you manage to defeat the shadows.........when you manage to fight the despair, you will realize that there is nothing you can do but to move forward."

"That isn't helping much right this second, Legolas,"Lina muttered dryly.  "I just wish this were a horrible nightmare...."

"I know, _mellonnin_......I know.  But it isn't.................and you can't change what happened.  But what you can do is grieve, comfort, and let it pass.  Your friend would not wish for you to lock yourself away never to enjoy life,"answered Estel, squeezing her reassuringly.  

"But its hard........"  Managed the teenager, a single tear slipping from her blue eyes.  

"And that is why we will not leave you.........we are here........" began Legolas. 

"And we always will be,"finished Aragorn.  

"Now......get some rest.  You have a long day ahead,"urged the Prince.  

            Lina leaned back into the pillows, but her eyes did not close even as they began to droop.  A plaintive, pleading blue gaze studied the two friends for a long moment.  "Stay with me?" 

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Aragorn's and Legolas's lips at the question.  

"As long as you need,"Aragorn stated.  

"Good........because I don't want to wake up and you not be there anymore, either,"Lina whispered, entwining her fingers with the two warriors'.  

            A slight mist covered the Prince's eyes at that statement. "Don't fear, my young writer.......when you wake.....we will be there, this, I promise you."

***************

Thank you for reading........but yall.......please, pray for me.  If you believe in God, pray for me, my friends, and the family of the girl who got killed...........we need it.  It's just hard...............like I said........._it's not supposed to be this way......this is wrong!!! _  It shouldn't have happened like this............I don't understand.  

But please................prayer can help.  Don't forget us.

Much love

Lina.  

Oh........and yall, I know this sounds pathetic on my part, but be safe this holiday season.  Please?????


End file.
